The Philippine Consulate in New York City informed Manila over the weekend that it is working with the United States Office of Immigrant Affairs to better protect Filipinos in the American state.
The consulate issued the statement following the demise of two Filipinos whose bodies were found earlier this month in separate areas of the city. The deceased were identified as Rodolfo Manacap Jr., alias Olivia Snow, 47; and Zeny Braga, 44.
Manacap was reported missing for several days before he was discovered on 19 January in a hotel in Manhattan, lying unconscious and unresponsive on his bed.
He was last seen by friends on 14 January in New Orleans for the Miss Universe beauty pageant held there. His body bore no signs of trauma, but an autopsy had been scheduled.
Braga’s body, meanwhile, was discovered in the bathroom of her rented apartment in Elmhurst, Queens, on 17 January. She was declared already dead when brought to the Elmhurst Hospital by paramedics of the New York City Fire Department.
Consul General Senen Mangalile said he is working closely with New York authorities on the two cases.
Manacap’s relatives in Davao City had been informed of his passing, Mangalile said.
“The Philippine Consulate General in New York is ready to extend assistance to the grieving families of Ms. Zeny Braga and Ms. Olivia Snow in facilitating the release of documents that would allow the expeditious repatriation of their mortal remains, and in finding a cost-effective means of repatriating said remains while exhausting all possible and available sources of funding,” Mangalile said.
Authorities have yet to issue a formal statement on whether foul play attended Braga’s death. Mangalile, on the other hand, said no indication would support a suspicion of foul play in Manacap’s case.